Highlighting novel targets in immunotherapy for liver cancer
Samantha M. Ruff
, Alexander H. Shannon
, Joal D. Beane
& Timothy M. Pawlik
Received 21 Sep 2022, Accepted 19 Nov 2022, Accepted author version posted online: 20 Nov 2022, Published online: 23 Nov 2022
Alterations to the hepatic immune microenvironment can play a key role in the development and progression of cancer. This is especially true in the liver due to its evolutionarily conserved immunotolerant state. The presence of chronic inflammation can facilitate the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by disrupting the hepatic immune microenvironment. Recently, the addition of the immunotherapy atezolizumab (PD-L1 inhibitor) with bevacizumab (VEGF inhibitor) became the recommended first-line systemic treatment for advanced HCC.
Areas covered
Given recent updates to the guidelines and emerging data on immunotherapy, we herein provide an overview of currently available and novel immunotherapy approaches for the treatment of HCC, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapy, and vaccine development. This review performed an extensive literature search to investigate benchwork, clinical research, and clinical trials that evaluate current immunotherapy and establish new targets. Literature was focused on the most up-to-date research and included ongoing clinical trials to better evaluate the obstacles and future direction of the field.
Expert opinion
Given the heterogeneity of HCC tumors, improvement in outcomes will likely come from targeting multiple immune mechanisms. Continued research and clinical trials of combination immunotherapies are necessary to move the field forward.